Reading Polished Concrete Flooring (RG1): At one time more or less limited to factories, commercial spaces and basements, polished concrete flooring is now being widely used in domestic Reading properties. As a result of modern innovations, by which its visual appeal has been heightened by sealing and staining techniques, polished concrete can now rival slate, marble and granite flooring surfaces, which were formerly the more preferred options. Therefore a whole range of possibilities and benefits can be gained by builders and home renovators when it comes to polished concrete flooring.
Sustainability is one of the significant advantages of polished concrete floors in this period of environmental consciousness. Although you might not at first think so, polished concrete flooring has a minimal impact on the environment in comparison to some other flooring methods. Oftentimes, no extra flooring materials will be required, since the existing concrete base (when there is one) can just be sanded down, sealed and buffed, saving money and time. The internal air quality and the outside environment is not harmed by the procedure, because very few chemical vapours discharged by the substances used in polished concrete floors. There's also no lasting smell emitted by the compounds and products polishing and sealing polishing and sealing concrete floors.
Concrete can also be an incredibly economical material for floor surfaces. Concrete stands proud as being the cheapest flooring option in Reading at this time. As most residential properties in Reading are literally constructed on top of huge blocks of concrete, the main floor base is already installed. More traditional materials such as tile, carpeting, vinyl and wood will have been installed over it for variety and comfort. There is very little less expensive than a pre-existing floor surface which just needs preparing. Even on the warmest days, a concrete floor will always be cool, lowering the need for any form of expensive air-conditioning or cooling. A home's interior lighting expenditure can also be lowered by the highly reflective properties of a polished concrete floor.
A significant plus side to polished concrete flooring is that it's very low maintenance. Extensive cleaning is essential with most common floor coverings. For example wooden floor boards need waxing and polishing, carpets and rugs have to be frequently vacuumed and marble floors are prone to scuffing and need specific chemical cleaning products. In comparison a polished concrete floor is incredibly immune to marking and scuffing, and typically just requires a quick mopping. Aside from the practicalities of this, it should also save you money and time.
There's little question that one of the primary attractions of concrete floors is the durability factor. It goes without saying that some of the most durable floors in the Reading area were created with concrete. According to studies concrete floors that are treated properly are more likely to last for at least 100 years. This sort of floor surface has for a long time been employed for busy locations in Reading like studios, warehouses, offices, bars, commercial spaces and shops, for this reason. There are hardly ever any issues with decay and moisture damage given that a concrete floor can "breathe". Various other types of flooring like tile or vinyl can trap water, causing costly repairs and replacements.
Even though it might not initially seem apparent, concrete flooring also boasts health rewards. It's been recognised for some time that dust mites and dust can trigger allergies and problems with breathing. The joins and cutouts of tiles and wooden floorboards and the deep piles of carpeting are breeding grounds for mould, viruses and bacteria. The advantage with polished concrete is that the finished surfaces are smooth and seamless and there is no place for these unwelcome visitors to collect. If you are looking for an allergy-free zone then polished concrete flooring is obviously your best option.
Since concrete is such an adaptable material, it offers Reading home and business owners countless possibilities and options. The a variety of applications and stains which are out there means that you're able to accomplish pretty much any visual appearance that you want. The classic "wet" look, for example, can be achieved with the use of silicon based sealers which sink deeply into the concrete. A well liked design for concrete flooring is the faux tile appearance, making it appear to be a tiled floor. Concrete can be stamped with a floorboard pattern if it is a timber floor appearance that is wanted. Stunning patterns are obtained by diamond grinding a concrete floor to reveal cross sections of the aggregate stones.
Polished Concrete Tiles Reading
With a luxurious, minimalistic appearance, polished concrete tiles make a bold style message which is combined with an understated style for any contemporary building or apartment in the Reading area. They're well suited for use in kitchens, bathrooms and streamlined modern living environments as either floor or wall coverings. A wall of polished concrete tiles can look amazing when accented by subdued lighting.
Available in many different colours to match the style of your home, or left with a natural finish, from dark granite to brilliant white, there is a polished concrete tile for every design scheme. These polished concrete tiles can be fashioned to any design and shape, form a bold centrepiece or have varied textures to create an interesting focal point for any room.
Polished Concrete Finishes Reading
By employing the myriad of polished concrete finishes which are out there, you can create a unique and stylish look for your home or office in Reading. To blend with your interior design requirements perfectly, there are plenty of different concrete flooring approaches that you can use. Whether you are polishing up an existing concrete slab, or starting from the very beginning, there are numerous possibilities for giving your new floor the perfect finish.
At the end of the day, every single polished concrete floor in Reading is unique, regardless of the finishes and methods you use. Even the locale of your property, and where the sand and aggregate comes from, will influence the final appearance of your flooring. The primary polished concrete flooring finishes are bronze polished concrete flooring, silver (or full aggregate) polished concrete, gold (or salt and pepper) polished finishes, and platinum finishes. You can obtain various different finishes by changing the degree of grind, using different aggregates and using stained concrete overlays.
Concrete Polishing Equipment Reading
To apply a professional finish to polished concrete requires specialist equipment in conjuction with diamond based abrasives. It's highly recommended that you use an experienced concrete polishing firm for your project, due to the cost of the equipment and the specialist knowledge required to utilise it effectively. The fundamental equipment and steps for a straightforward polishing task are;
Diamond Segmented Abrasives - These are going to be needed in various levels of grit up to a fine polisher grit of 3,000. A lower number means a coarser abrasive, while the higher numbers are used for finer work. Coarse grits are used to remove any obvious imperfections in the surface of the concrete, before finer levels are applied to smooth out any scuff marks revealing a highly polished final surface.
Concrete Fillers - The concrete surface should be sound and level, so filler is applied to cracks and indents to smooth it out as much as feasible before any polishing. If the concrete surface is deeply pitted or rough it may be simpler to spread a coat of screed rather than trying to fill it by hand.
Chemical Hardeners - After the initial grinding you will need to apply a hardener or densifier. This hardener penetrates the concrete and produces a superior surface for polishing.
Floor Polisher - The floor polisher is the vital item which is used with the abrasive elements to bring the concrete floor up to your expectations. Many Reading companies use more than one single polisher for bigger areas; a larger machine to cover the main areas quickly, and a smaller one for hard to reach places, corners and edges.
More Reading Flooring Services
Needless to say, when you happen to be doing concrete flooring in Reading, Berkshire, you'll probably need some other services and along with a concreting specialist in Reading, Berkshire, you could also need stone paving in Reading, carpet fitters in Reading, underfloor heating in Reading, tilers in Reading, rubber flooring in Reading, SKIP HIRE in Reading, driveway installation in Reading, paving in Reading, timber decking in Reading, floorers in Reading, concrete paving in Reading, concrete driveways in Reading, screeders in Reading, and other different Reading flooring specialists.
Related Tasks
Local Reading concrete polishers will usually be able to help with concrete floor sawing & cutting, bar floors, polished concrete, microcement bathrooms in Reading, diamond grinding, polished concrete for schools in Reading, concreting in Reading, concrete slab flooring, polished concrete for bathroom floors, anti-static flooring, domestic polished concrete, concrete polishing, polished concrete floors, concrete sealing, cement flooring, polished concrete floors for basements, polished concrete toppings, power floating concrete in Reading, dry shake toppings Reading, stained concrete floors Reading, coloured concrete floors, diamond polishing, microcement walls, floor replacements, factory floors, concrete floor restoration, concrete repairs, concrete floors Reading, restaurant floors, polished concrete flooring for car showrooms, and plenty of other concrete related tasks in Reading. Local Reading concrete polishers will most likely have the postcode RG1 and the phone code 0118. Listed are just a few of the tasks that are undertaken by those installing polished concrete. Reading contractors will let you know their whole range of concrete flooring services.
Polished Concrete Near Me
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